which attains a height of thirty, or more feet tali. The supply 
of leaves from such a spot would be endless, and if a manufactory 
of fibres from the leaves could be started in such sp >ts, it would 
doubtless pay very well and help at the same time to keep down 
a nuisance. 
Besides this plant we have also the common seashore Pandanus 
fascicularis (Pandan Duri) so abundant everywhere. The leaves of 
this are quite long enough for fibre purposes, and could readily be 
used in any quantity. It can be easily grown from cuttings in damp 
low-lying ground, and might also be grown as a low hedge plant 
to keep out cattle, etc. 
Pandan Mat-bags. — Mr. SCIIIRMER was awe-struck at thr- 
Agricultural Show by the appearance of the mat bags made out of 
the leaves of Pandanus fascicularis , which are familiar to all as 
being commonly used by Ih i Malays for carrying rice, etc. Similar 
mat bags are used in Mauritius for sugar, but the demand there 
has been so great that the supply of pandans, known there as 
Vacoa, is p-acticallv worked out. There is a demand there for 
two million and a half of these bags a year, and there seems to be 
certainly an opening here for a big business in them. 
It would be necessary that they should be made cheaply and 
some plan of compressing them for export to avoid excess of 
freight would b required. There is sailing ship communication 
between Singapore and Mauritius, and it may be hoped that the 
Malays in the Peninsula will be induced to make these bags on a 
large scale for export. Samples of the bags as used in Mauritius 
have been sent to the Botanic Gardens to show what is required. 
Other fibres. — Mr. SCHIRMER has kindly put at my disposal 
extracts from letters from the Messrs. RlEBOYV of Hamburg, ex- 
peits in the fibre trade as to samples of the fibres he has sent to 
them, prepared by the new Machine. Messrs. Riebow is having 
the samples Valued, but at present he gives the following as prices 
which they would probably realize. 
Aloe ( i.e . Fourcroya ) commonly known here as Mauritius hemp 
£30, Murva £35, Pine apple £30-35., Pis 0 rig £25 for 1,000 kilos 
ex quay Hamburg, with usual allowance on weight and discount, 
pressed in bales of about 200 kilos, packed in straight folds. The 
cleaner and whiter the goods and the longer the fibre the better 
will be the prices they fetch. 
Of Murva fibre he says: — “ The quotation of hand made (£50) 
seems to me too high. Sanseviera well cleaned of good colour, 
length and strong is wanted here in very keen demand and big 
quantities. The price of Ramie is about £30, there is a good mar- 
ket for it. Aloe (Mauritius) fibre quotation to-dav £29 to 32, 
Pine-apple £20 to 35 according to length." 
